THE GAMBIA

Republic of The Gambia

COUNTRY OVERVIEW

LOCATION AND SIZE.

The Republic of The Gambia measures 11,295 square kilometers (4,361
square miles) and consists of a long narrow ribbon of land sitting
astride the river Gambia, one of the major waterways in West Africa.
Apart from the 50-kilometer (31-mile) stretch of coastline on the
Atlantic ocean, it is entirely surrounded by Senegal. At the estuary of
the river Gambia, the northern and southern boundaries are only 45
kilometers (28 miles) apart and the belt of land narrows to about 20
kilometers (13 miles) inland. Banjul is the coastal capital located on
the southern side of the estuary.

POPULATION.

The population of The Gambia was estimated at 1.026 million in the 1993
census and 1.169 million in 1997. The estimated population in 2000 was
1.367 million, growing at a rate of 3.2 percent a year with a fertility
rate of 5.2 children per woman. It is a young population with about 45
percent under 14 years of age, 52 percent between 15 and 64 years, and 3
percent 65 and over. Population density is 117 per square kilometer
(1997) with 30 percent of the people living in urban areas. Life
expectancy was estimated at 47 years in 1997, up from 36 years in 1970.

The Mandinka people constitute 42 percent of the total population,
followed (in descending order of population) by the Fula, Wollof, Jola,
and Savaluli. There is also a community of Akus (Creoles) descended
mainly from African slaves freed in the 19th century. About 90 percent
of the population is Muslim and the rest are mostly Christians. There
are also traditional religions practiced. English is the official
language with Mandinka extensively used in the provinces while Wollof is
widely spoken in Banjul.